The Swen Loge Farm

Swen Loge was born near Stavanger, Norway, October 27,
1852. He married Serina Thime and they purchased some land in
Norway, which he farmed for about two years.

They became interested in sailing for America and April
9, 1881 they, with their child, Elizabeth, left Norway on a cattle boat
named "Johan Sverdrup.€ During the voyage, the little girl became
ill and died. They traveled from New York to Saint Paul by train
and when they reached Saint Paul a son, Swen, was born in the railroad
station.

They went to Granite Falls, Minnesota, but finding no
land available there and hearing they could get land in North Dakota by
"homesteading", Swen and a neighbor, Valdemar Klubben, decided to take
their oxen and equipment by railroad as far as Fargo, leaving their
families in Granite Falls until they were somewhat settled. At
Fargo they unloaded their oxen and supplies and drove along the railroad
to Valley City where they stocked up on supplies and went on until they
came to a place near the Sheyenne River which they liked very much and
later became Sverdrup Township, Section 26, Range 145-58.

They built a two-room sod house over the quarter line.
One room was for the Loge family and one for the Klubben family.
It had no floor, a small opening for a door and no windows. On
July 5 they met their families in Valley City.

As it was late that first year, they broke only about
nine acres for wheat, which was sold for 90 a bushel.
Swen and Valdemar worked in the Valley City area during threshing to
provide for their winter needs. Their provisions for the winter
were three sacks of flour, two gallons of syrup, and two gallons of
kerosene. They shot prairie chicken and antelope for meat.

After living in the sod house three years, Swen built a
log house I n which they lived for thirty-two years. It was
replaced with the present home.

Eight children were born to Swen and Serina Loge.
They were Swen, Lars, Elizabeth, Martin, Bernard, Pauline, Inga and
Hans.

In 1905 Swen Loge built a home in Cooperstown and lived
there until he died in 1906. While Serina Loge lived, her sons
Martin, Hans, and Lars lived at and farmed the homeplace at different
times. Melvin Loge, son of Swen Loge 11, also operated the farm
after military service in World War 11. Serina died in 1937.
The farm was purchased by her daughter Mrs. Knute (Inga) Ueland.
Presently the farm is owned by Kermit Ueland, son of Mrs. Knute Ueland.